1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting diode and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A point light source type light-emitting diode is known in which light generated by a light-emitting layer is extracted from a portion of the upper surface of an element. In this type of light-emitting diode, a light-emitting diode is known which has a current blocking structure for limiting an electrically conductive region of a light-emitting layer to a portion of the plane of the light-emitting layer (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the light-emitting diode having the current blocking structure, a light-emitting region is limited. Since light is emitted from a light emission hole which is provided immediately above this light-emitting region, it is possible to obtain a high light output and to input the emitted light to, for example, an optical component with high efficiency.
In the point-light-source-type light-emitting diode, a structure is known in which an active layer has a pillar structure in order to narrow a light-emitting region in a direction parallel to a substrate and a layer including a light emission opening (light emission hole) is provided on a light emission surface of the top of the pillar structure (for example, see Patent Document 2).
FIG. 15 shows a resonator-type light-emitting diode in which a lower mirror layer 132, an active layer 133, an upper mirror layer 134, and a contact layer 135 are sequentially formed on a substrate 131; a pillar structure 137 includes the active layer 133, the upper mirror layer 134, and the contact layer 135; the pillar structure 137 and the periphery thereof are covered with a protective film 138; an electrode film 139 is formed on the protective film 138; and a light emission opening 139a is formed in the electrode film 139 on the top surface 137a (light emission surface) of the pillar structure 137. Reference numeral 140 indicates a rear surface electrode.